BDSM Rights

BDSM Rights is the belief that people whose sexuality or relationship
preferences include Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, or
Sadism and Masochism ("BDSM") deserve the same human
rights as everyone else, and should not be discriminated against for
pursuing BDSM with consenting adults.

When confronting discrimination against BDSM by governments, employers
or other organisations,
the concept of BDSM Rights provides a way of introducing arguments based
on human rights laws and conventions. This is particularly relevant in
European countries, where the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)
provides many of the safeguards which are enshrined in constitutional
rights in other countries.

However, in O&P (and some areas
within the BDSM
play scene, such as edgeplay), this approach is
limited due to the
ability of governments to override personal freedoms for the greater
good ("for the protection of health or morals" in the words of the
ECHR.) Furthermore, the concept of inalienable rights can be at odds
with
the consensual nonconsent present in
ownership relationships.